Pierre Henderson-Niles, the mammoth Memphis center who was kicked off the team last season, has reportedly signed a contract to play hoops in Japan. Now, we understand that this isn't the most pertinent information, but PHN has always been a fan-favorite here at B.I.A.H. 
If you are puzzled as to why a professional team would want hire a player who never averaged more than 5ppg, no need to worry, because we will explain.
Henderson-Niles, is roughly 6-foot-8 and roughly 300lbs. If you are unaware with the Japanese culture then you should know the Japanese people are fascinated with human goliaths. Guys like Bob Sapp and Hong Man Choi are six-figure fighters and can headline events in sold-out arenas just because of their size.
After all, this is the land where sumo wrestling was born. The land of Godzilla. If you want something big, forget about Texas, go to Japan. I think that whoever signed Henderson-Niles made a brilliant marketing decision. Don't try and convince me that PHN was signed solely on his basketball skills.
I've seen Pierre in person, in fact I've stood less than 10 yards away from him, and I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is the largest human being I have ever seen.
I think this might actually be a great move for PHN. He will be an instant celebrity as soon as he arrives. Who knows, in a year or two, he could be making cameos in popular action movies or maybe starring in his own energy drink commercial.
Because in Japan, size sells.
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Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Pierre Henderson-Niles is heading east, far east |
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Memphis loses Pierre Henderson-Niles |
Memphis has had some serious roster issues this season, especially along their front line.
Angel Garcia is just now coming back from a knee injury. Martin Ngaloro, a french kid that was supposed to play as a freshman for the Tigers this season, never made it to the States after injuring his knee. Latavious Williams, the jewel of Pastner's class this season, decided he would rather play pro ball than go to college. Shawn Taggart went pro as well.
Is Pierre Henderson-Niles gone due to attitude problems? Wouldn't really be a surprise. That's his hand telling a UAB fan what the five fingers said to the face.(photo credit: CBSSports)
Basically, Pastner was going to have just Will Coleman, a JuCo transfer, and Pierre Henderson-Niles up front this season.
Now, he is left with just Coleman as Pastner announced that PHN is not longer a Memphis Tiger.
"As I told the team, I have a soft spot for Pierre, and I really want to see him do well," Pastner said. "He's a fine young man, and I am proud of how hard he worked to get in shape to play this season and also how hard he worked in the classroom so that he can graduate in May. Moving forward, we will do all we can for Pierre as he finishes up the academic work toward completing his degree. We wish Pierre nothing but the best."
"This is nothing negative. He didn't do anything against the law or anything like that," Pastner told ESPN.com on Monday night. "I like the young man. I have a soft spot for him. It was just at this point, we both agree it's time to go forward."
According to a source for Gary Parrish (who has written for the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, does a show on Memphis radio, and basically will be the go-to source for any Tiger related news), the reason for PHN leaving the team was a result of attitude problems, but that this was a "mutual decision".
PHN was in the news quite a bit over the past two summers as he worked on getting his big body back into shape. He was a very highly touted recruit early in high school, but as he kept packing on the pounds, he struggled to maintain his quickness and explosiveness. Depending on who you asked, his weight was somewhere in the 350-375 lb range, but he is now down to somewhere between 275-300 lb. Hopefully, he can continue to keep the weight off and stay healthy.
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Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Land Warriors: 2009-2010 Best of the Biggest |
Basketball is a game dominated by the blessed: the best of the best are the guys blessed with height, athleticism, and coordination. The are precious few people in the world built like a John Wall or a Derrick Rose. Rare is it that you come across a physical specimen like Blake Griffin or Al-Farouq Aminu. Those guys succeed in large part because they are bigger, or faster, or stronger, or can jump higher (or all of the above) than their opponents. While these are the guys that are the most fun and impressive to watch, at times it is difficult to root for them.
We at BIAH tend to pull for the underdog, today we take a look at our favorite kind of underdog: the land warrior.
What defines a land warrior?
A land warrior won't jump over you. He won't run by you or go around you. Land warriors will go through you. Why? Simply put, they are the widest players on the floor. They are the guys that always got their own seat on the team bus out of necessity, not seniority. The guys that Grandma always made sure got an extra plate of leftovers at Thanksgiving. How these men wound up on the hardwood and not on the gridiron will remain a mystery to high school and college football coaches around the country.
The rotund infantry always seem to be the fan favorites. They aren't the prettiest or the flashiest. They aren't primadonnas. They don't have that perfectly toned and streamlined body with the biceps of a Greek god. They don't look like an athlete as much as the guy next to you drinking a Bud Heavy while eating Doritos dipped in cheese sauce.
These heroes have flown under the radar for too long. It is time to put a stop to this injustice. Let us waste no more time in honoring our favorite soldiers of the terrain:
James "Big Lumber" Eayrs - UW-Milwaukee - 6'7, 310lbs
Let us be the first to introduce you (pending you aren't already familiar, thank you Sports Illustrated) to the quintessential land warrior.
His name? James Eayrs. His Occupation? "Big Lumber". We must give SI's Seth Davis credit for opening our eyes to this monstrous wrecking-ball with long range firepower.
Here is what Davis had to say about the man who moves like a nimble iguana: Body of a sumo wrestler, hands of a surgeon, feet of a ballet dancer.
Luke Winn also had nice things to say about the over-sized riot shield with a buttery touch: How can you not love Big Lumber? He's the Big Baby of the Northwoods, standing 6-7 and weighing 310 pounds, lighting up the Horizon League with surprising touch for his size. Not only does Eayrs provide constant entertainment -- his look and body type are completely unique in college hoops -- he gives hope to husky children everywhere, that one day, they, too, can play college hoops.
Take a look at this true land warrior and then imagine him with an extra 80lbs of "armor". Entering his freshman year, Eayrs tipped the scales at a svelte 390lbs. At 6'7 and 390lbs he would be hands-down the largest player in the NFL. But at a sleek 310lbs this land warrior has extra mobility and has acquired long-range precision (he is 14-37 from behind the arch).
Jame Eayrs was not always known as "Big Lumber". He heard "The Dancing Polar Bear", "Big James", and "Big Country". It was not until a January 9th, 2009, when Eayrs sank a game-tying 3-point buzzer-beater, that the legend of "Big Lumber" was born. The rotund rocket-launcher has become something of a pop icon in Milwaukee. During the siberian-esque winters in the great Midwest, people ditch the ice fishing in favor of bearing witness to the quintessential land warrior. The fans love him, the commentators are wooed by him, and the opposing players and coaches are absolutely puzzled by him. He is "Big Lumber" .
Dexter Pittman - Texas - 6'10, 298lbs
Pittman is another example of a land warrior who went into boot camp as a "project" and left as a husky but muscular fighting machine. Pittman is your hand-to-hand combat specialist. He breaks the mold of a true "hippo of the hardwood" because he has shed nearly 30 pounds in four years and is now a chiseled one-man battering ram.
His long frame means even weight-displacement for more raw power. He is the Longhorn's go-to weapon for clearing 2-4 defenders out of the paint, offensive rebounding, and tearing down the Berlin Wall.
Pierre Henderson-Niles - Memphis - 6'8, 300lbs
I have had a chance to view this man-bear-pig in close-quarters and let me tell you that Henderson-Niles has got to be one of the largest land mammals on the planet earth. Best known for his skills at preying on small groups of farm animals by himself, PHN is one of the most ferocious-looking creatures on the college basketball savanna.
The scariest part about this behemoth is that he could be even bigger. This specimen has crammed all 300lbs of muscle and rawhide onto his athletic frame. Attempting to stand in front of the mammoth power forward at top speed is considered a death wish in many cultures. Henderson-Niles never quite lived up to his potential though. He is currently averaging only 3.8ppg, which happens to be his career high.
Arinze Onuaku - Syracuse - 6'9, 275lbs
Of the same species as our last creature, this specimen is a tad smaller and is only located in the Northern United States. Despite it's somewhat slim physique, the land warrior known as Onuaku is even more talented ferocious than Henderson-Niles. Adorned by his trademark head band, Onuaku is the most dominating post player the Orangemen have.
He has raw power and athleticism but lacking a smooth touch at the charity stripe and poor ball-handling skills keeps Arinze from being an "elite big man". It also means he must resort to picking on the larger, slower animals in the savannah, as he is no match for quick gazelles or savvy hyenas.
Keith "Tiny" Gallon - Oklahoma - 6'8, 290lbs
Every infantry unit has a "Jumbo", a "slim" or a "Big John" amongst them. This rookie land warrior is new to the battlefield, but already shows signs of improvement. His areas of expertise include rebounding, footwork, and carpet-bombing.
"Tiny" is no Blake Griffin, but he is doing better than expected filling the hole in the Sooner's frontcourt left by Blake and Taylor Griffin. Gallon may still be nothing more than a man-child at this point, but his touch is developing nicely. But give this plebe some time to mature. However, at a university with practice squad offensive linemen the size of Gallon, he has to set his stun-gun on dazzle in order to win over the Boomer Sooner fans.
Derrick Nix - Michigan State - 6'9, 275lbs
Nix is big-boned, large, wide, long, tall, and any other word you use to describe a man of enormous proportions. Nix suffers from a disease that is too common among land warriors: Shaq Flu
Most beasts can cope with mediocre ball skills, but Nix is a one-of-a-kind specimen. His hands are rather slow, which undoubtedly meant he was the kid back in the day who never was able to snag the last biscuit at the dinner table. In order to gain the fan base of a true land warrior, Nix will need to work on his accuracy. Because, you know, 5% free throw shooting just won't cut it.
Seriously.
5%.
Other Notable Land Warriors:
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
2009-2010 Team Preview: Memphis Tigers |
2008-2009 Record: 33-4, 16-0 C-USA (1st)
Key Losses: Tyreke Evans (17.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.9 apg, Robert Dozier (12.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg), Shawn Taggart (10.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg), Antonio Anderson (10.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.5 apg)
Key Returners: Doneal Mack (8.7 ppg), Roburt Sallie (5.8 ppg)
Newcomers: Elliot Williams, Will Coleman, DJ Stephens, Malik Thomas, Tyler Foster, Drew Barham, James Harvey Jr.
Doneal Mack will be the Tiger's leading returning scorer.(photo credit: Reuters)
The Memphis basketball program had an off-season to forget. It started with John Calipari bolting for greener pastures in Lexington, and taking his loaded recruiting class with him. It continued with the school being stripped of its 38 win and Final Four season in 2007-2008. It ended with the Tigers losing three kids who would have contributed significant minutes this season; Latavious Williams decided to play pro ball overseas while Martin Ngaloro and Angel Garcia both suffered season ending injuries.
But that doesn't mean the Tigers will be devoid of talent this season, as they do add two potential stars to a group of proven role players. The biggest addition, figuratively, was guard Elliot Williams, a former McDonald's all-american who was cleared to play this season after transferring from Duke to be closer to his ailing mother. Williams should fit in perfectly with this Memphis squad as he is a tough defender and an athletic slasher. He showed flashes of promise on the offensive end as a freshman at Duke, and with the Tigers losing their three leading scorers, they will be looking for someone to help handle the offensive load.
The rest of the Memphis back court are names that you should recognize. Willie Kemp and Doneal Mack, both heading into their senior years, seem like they have been Tigers forever. Kemp will have his work cut out for him. He started as a freshman, but with one-and-dones Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans handling the point guard duties the past two season, he was relegated to a bench role. If Memphis wants to win another C-USA title, they are going to need a big year out of Kemp at the point. As I said before, there isn't really a big time scorer on this team like there has been the last few years. For the Tigers to be successful, Kemp is going to have to be able to get in the lane and create.
Mack is the Tiger's leading returning scorer. Known primarily as a shooter, he has struggled with that aspect of him game a bit as his percentages have dropped from 41% as a freshman to just 33% last year. He is streaky, however, and if he can build some confidence early in the season he can be a dangerous weapon for the Tigers.
The x-factor for this team may be Roburt Sallie. Sallie has been a bit of a basketball vagabond, bouncing around from school to school (he originally committed to Nebraska) before finally settling with the Tigers last season. It took him a while to really break into the Memphis rotation, but he is a tremendous shooter, knocking down 47% of his three's. When he gets hot, there may not be a better shooter in the country. Anyone that doubts that should take a glimpse at what he did in last year's tournament - 16-24 from deep in three games, including a 35-point performance (including 10-15 from deep) where he single-handedly kept the Tigers in their first round game against Cal St. Northridge.
The biggest addition, literally, for the Tigers during the off-season was forward Will Coleman, a JuCo transfer. Coleman is a freak of an athlete, checking in at 6'9", 255 lb with a 40" vertical. Coleman may be more Joey Dorsey than Blake Griffin at this point in his career, but there's no denying the potential of someone who can do this. His front court mate will be senior Pierre Henderson-Niles. Niles has constantly battled weight problems since enrolling with the Tigers, but word out of Memphis is that Niles is down to 278 lb. A top 30 recruit before his put on the weight, Niles has a soft touch and quick feet for a big man. If he ever figures it all out, he could end up being a tattooed Big Baby.
The other two players expected to get minutes for the Tigers are sophomore Wesley Witherspoon and freshman DJ Stephens. Witherspoon is a rangy 6'8" wing that is good enough with the ball that he played some point during his freshman season. A fantastic athlete with all the tools you ask for in a prototypical NBA wing, last season he showed that he still needed a lot of polish on the skills aspect of his game. Stephens was a late signee by Pastner after Latavious Williams decided to head to Europe. The 6'5" forward out of Texas is a fantastic athlete (reports say he has a 43" vert), but not much more should be expected out of him outside of a few dunks and some defense.
Outlook: Depth is going to be the biggest issue for the Tigers this season. They only have eight healthy scholarship players, and just two true posts. If Memphis wants to win this season, my personal feeling is that they are going to need to rely on their defense. They have athletes at every position, and if they can play a pressuring defense (and not necessarily in the full court as mush as a smothering half court defense), they should be able to force a lot of turnovers. And with the athletes on this team and the lack of any truly developed offensive weapons, an emphasis on the transition should suit them just fine. While the conference won't be a cakewalk for the Tigers like in years past (especially with how good teams like Tulsa, Houston and UTEP will be), they should still be considered the favorite heading into the season. But if the Tigers disappoint in the non-conference (big games are Kansas, @ Umass, Tennessee, @ Syracuse, and Gonzaga), that sentiment could change rather quickly.
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Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tell me if you've heard this before: Pierre Henderson-Niles is getting in shape |
As a high school underclassmen, Pierre Henderson-Niles was one of the most dominating inside presences in the country. As a junior, he peaked as high as 33rd in the country, according to Scout.
But that is when the hefty PHN started to put on weight. At his heaviest, he was tipping the scales at 347lb, a weight that would make NFL lineman jealous. At the start of the summer, Niles was checking in at 327lb.
This summer, however, things have changed. Memphis head coach Josh Pastner has gotten his senior forward to buy into a workout regimen and a strict diet, which has helped him drop an impressive amount of weight, trimming down to 278lb. 
Pierre Henderson-Niles has lost 49lbs this summer.
(photo credit: ESPN)
Combined with the loss of the Tigers starting front court, this change in PHN's body has led Gary Parrish to believe the big fella could be poised for a breakout season.
It does make sense. Niles, along with JuCo transfer Will Coleman, will be logging a ton of minutes up front this year. And with a svelte new body and healthier diet, he should be able to handle the increased minutes.
But before Memphis fans out there go predicting an all-american season, let me forewarn - this isn't the first time we've heard about Niles getting into shape. At right around the same time last year, news started to leak out that John Calipari had been able to whip Niles into shape, as he found himself below 300lb for the first time in a long while.
The outcome?
Not exactly the kind of breakout year some expected. Niles did boost his numbers to 2.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, and 12.4 mpg (up from his career stats 1.1, 1.5, and 5.6), but he still was a relatively ineffective option off the bench (he only reached double figures once in scoring and twice in rebounding).
So will PHN finally grow into his potential this season?
Who knows, your guess is as good as mine.
But it is also besides the point.
You see, 347lb is not a healthy weight for anyone. Its one thing if you are an offensive lineman - you need that weight in order to earn your paycheck - but it is a completely different beast when you are a 6'8" basketball player that size. Clearly, Niles had some extremely unhealthy habits that, if left unchecked, would not only derail a once promising basketball career, but could endanger his life down the road.
More than the possibility of a professional basketball career, more than the chance to excel at your hometown school, this weight loss makes me believe that Niles could be in for a lifestyle change.
Think about it. In dropping from his heaviest (347) to his current weight (278), Niles lost 20% of his body mass. That is a lot to lose while still keeping up the strength and caloric intake necessary to compete at a high level of basketball.
I want to see Niles turn into the player that everyone thought he would be in high school.
But it is more important for this young man to get himself prepared for a long and healthy life after basketball.
Hopefully, he has done just that.
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